Part 1. The SAM TEAM- It shall manage all matters requiring arbitration which pertain to League sponsored competition(s). The SAM TEAM will administer game protests and behavioral incidents. At the direction of the Governing Body, the SAM TEAM will attend to any matter not specifically addressed in the bylaws. The SAM TEAM has the authority to suspend or fine any player, coach, team, team official, club official, team and/or club supporter. The SAM TEAM has the authority to fine any member club.

a) Composition - There will be no less than three (3) and no more than five (5) members, plus a Committee Chairman on the SAM Arbitration Board. SAM TEAM members shall be selected by the league’s president, with the approval of the Board of Directors for a one or two year term. No more than one member from the League’s Board of Directors shall be a member of the SAM TEAM. The league’s president shall appoint the chairman of the Arbitration Board.

b) Voting- of this committee shall be one (1) vote for each member of the committee including the Chairman. The Chairman may cast a vote only in case of a tie. A minimum of three (3) voting members, which includes the Chairman, will be required to hear a case and render a decision.

c) Participants at the SAM TEAM Board Meeting- The SAM TEAM reserves the right to determine the participants and number of participants that may attend a meeting.

d) Convene SAM TEAM- The SAM TEAM will convene at the discretion of the Chairman.

e) Possession of Cards - All cards (MSYSA Player Registration Pass or Adult Pass) will remain in the possession of the Arbitration Board until a decision is rendered and/or a suspension has been served.

f) Records of the SAM TEAM- The records of the SAM TEAM will be maintained for a three (3) year period.

g) Club Will Be Assessed Each Time An Adult Supervisor is Issued a Red Card- In the event that a coach (Adult Supervisor) or player is issued a red card, the SAM TEAM will notify SAM in writing of the offense.

h) Adult Supervisor to Appear at the SAM TEAM Hearing - In the event that an Adult Supervisor isissued a Red Card, at the discretion of the SAM TEAM, said Adult Supervisor will be notified by the SAM TEAM to appear in person, at the SAM TEAM hearing of the case.

The SAM TEAM will notify the Adult Supervisor of the date, time and location of the hearing.

The Adult Supervisor’s card will remain in the possession of the SAM TEAM until said Adult Supervisor appears at the hearing.

i) Player to Appear at the SAM TEAM Hearing- In the event that a player is issued a Red Card, at thediscretion of the SAM TEAM, said player and the coach (Adult Supervisor) of the said player’s teammay be notified by the SAM TEAM to appear in person, at the SAM TEAM hearing of the case.

j) The Adult Supervisor must accompany the player to such a hearing.

The SAM TEAM will notify the Coach of the date, time and location of the hearing.

The Player’s card will remain in the possession of the SAM TEAM until said Player and Coach appear at the hearing.

Part 2. Protests and Disputes - All questions relating to the qualifications of competitors or interpretation of the rules or any dispute or protest, shall be referred to the SAM TEAM. Protests and disputes are filed by the teams who will bear responsibility for adherence to the rules regarding disputes and protests and guarantee all fees and fines. Decisions of the SAM TEAM shall be final and binding unless and until overturned under appeal.

a) Valid and Eligible for Consideration - To be valid and eligible for consideration, each protest or dispute must:

Be provided by certified or registered mail (along with all supporting information and documents) to the

Be submitted in writing describing in full detail the grounds for the protest or dispute and bear the signature of the Teams President and/or Registrar, as well as the signature of the coach of the team initiating the protest or dispute.

i. opposing team.

Be initiated by a party directly involved in the incident under protest or dispute. An involved party, as

i. used throughout this part, is defined as a team coach, a club President and/or a club Registrar.

Be mailed to the league’s office, addressed to the Chairman of the SAM TEAM, by certified or

Include all information necessary to allow a fair and just decision.

i. registered mail, and postmarked no less than midnight of the third business day following the incident giving rise to the protest or dispute. A business day, as used throughout this part, is defined as any weekday that the offices of the League are normally open for business. A business day shall not include Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays observed by the league office.

b) Lawyer Shall Not Represent - A SAM TEAM hearing is not a legal proceeding. Involved parties may not be represented by legal counsel. Attorneys may appear before the Board only as involved parties in an individual capacity and not as legal counsel.

c) Ignorance of the Rules - A plea of ignorance of the rules and regulations of the league is not sufficient grounds for the filing of a protest or dispute.

d) Conflicts of Interest - The members of the SAM TEAM shall avoid both apparent and actual conflicts of interest. In the event that a member of the board may be considered on any basis by a reasonable individual to have a bias for or against any interested party in a protest or dispute, that member shall excuse himself/herself from the deliberations concerning that protest or dispute.

e) Convening the Board and Notifying Involved Parties - The SAM TEAM shall be convened by the Chairman at his/her discretion. Notice shall be given to involved parties and those others invited to aid in the Board’s deliberations and/or to present relevant information, no later than five business days prior to the scheduled meeting.

f) Basis of Decision - The SAM TEAM shall render a decision on any protest or dispute on the basis of any information, from any source, which it deems appropriate under the circumstances.

g) Timeliness of Decision - The SAM TEAM shall render a decision within fifteen (15) days of receipt by the board of a protest or dispute. Failure to render a decision within this period shall entitle the party filing the protest or dispute to submit the protest or dispute to the Appeals Committee without determination and the protest fee submitted shall be applied to the appeal fee.

Notification of Decision - All parties to a protest or dispute shall be notified in writing within ten (10) days of a hearing of the decision rendered by the SAM TEAM. All decisions shall be final.